Bettering Ourselves
by missavuncular
Summary: When they discover they're expecting, Chuck and Blair must decide who they want to be.
1. Prologue

Author's Note: I deeply apologize to any fans of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Funeral. I've been a little uninspired lately, and then this idea came to me. I promise I'll have another chapter up soon! Also, I do not speak French, so it's entirely possible the cashier is saying something wildly inappropriate.

After being ditched by her would-be boyfriend, Blair Waldorf wanted nothing more than to get the thoughts of said boyfriend out of her head. While abandoned in Tuscany, she was able to keep up the hope that he'd at least call to explain his absence. After a week of hoping, she gave up and left for her father's home in France.

Her father could sense that she was upset, so he tried his best to keep her occupied. On Blair's third day in France, she and her father flew to Paris to see the sights. He took her to amazing museums and restaurants every day, and always gave her his platinum card for whatever designer dud she desired.

Even though she loved all of the shopping and dining, she was relieved when she received a call from Serena.

"Hey B," her best friend giggled. "How's France treating you?"

"It's beautiful, and I think I've bought 21 pairs of Louboutin's," she laughed and then paused. "Chuck never showed up in Tuscany."

"What?"

"He never showed up; never even called. I thought," she sighed, "I just thought he would be different. Have you talked to him?"

"No, I've pretty much been secluded in the Hampton's house. Listen, B, don't worry about it now. He's Chuck. Just enjoy the rest of your summer, and you'll be back with me in four weeks."

"Did you say four weeks?"

"Yeah. It's August now, Blair. You know, that month after July? Time really does fly when you're having fun."

"Yeah," she said, looking at the calendar on her cell phone. When_ was the last time I had my period? _

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Thinking back to the night of the Bass-van der Woodsen wedding, Blair tore herself away from her father and made her way to a small drug store. _There's no way this can be happening again._

She walked to the small aisle which contained anything that could be considered embarrassing, from condoms to Vagisil, and looked at all of the pregnancy tests. She picked up the EPT, remembering that it was the one she used before, and proceeded to the clerk.

She small middle-aged woman gave Blair an odd glance as she rung up the test. Blair squirmed in her Marc Jacobs flats.

"8 Euros s'il vous plait," the woman said. Blair willingly handed over the money, grabbed her test, and headed home.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Back in the safety of her bathroom, she opened the box, discarding the directions. She remembered how to pee on the stick. After using the test, she placed in on the counter and counted away the minutes. _Please, God. If this is negative, I'll stop snarking on the less fortunate. I'll even try being civil to Jenny, and you know how hard that is for me. _

She looked at her watch and realized the three minutes were over. Blair slowly picked up the test, looked at the display, and cursed God's name in her head.

She was pregnant.


	2. Chapter 1

Author's Note: Sorry for the short chapters; I'm trying to break this story up into small sections so it's more digestible. Italics indicate Blair's internal monologue.

After learning she was pregnant, Blair had barely been seen outside of her room. Moping was an understatement in her case. She listened to her iPod non-stop, only pausing to charge it.

In the middle of her favorite Weepies song, she heard a knock on the door.

"Come in," she yelled. Her dad entered, carrying a tray of food.

"You missed dinner, honey. Are you feeling alright?"

"I'm fine, really. Just not hungry." She eyed the salmon on the plate and decided her nausea would not let her eat it.

"If there were something wrong, you'd tell me, right? Because you can tell me anything," he said reassuringly. She sat up on her bed.

"There's nothing wrong dad," she said. "I think I'm just a little homesick." Harold brushed the hair out of his daughter's face.

"If there's anything I can do to cheer you up, let me know."

"I think I need to go home," she said meekly. Harold stood up and looked at her.

"If that's what you want, I'll make the arrangements tonight."

"Thank you."

"And honey, if you want to talk, I'm here."

"There's nothing to talk about." _I'm already pregnant, I might as well add liar to my resume._

xxxx

As soon as Blair's plane landed in Manhattan, she made her way to Serena's Hamptons house. In times of crisis, she was always the one person Blair could turn to.

"Hey S, what are you doing," she asked into her phone.

"I'm sitting on the veranda reading Vogue. Why?"

"Turn around."

Serena turned around to see her best friend standing there.

"B! What are you doing here? You're not supposed to be back for a few more weeks!"

"I missed New York. What can I say?" From the psychic bond that could only come from years of being BFFs, Serena instantly knew something was wrong.

"What's going on Blair? Why are you really here?"

"It's bad," she said as a tear streamed down her face.

"Tell me."

"I'm pregnant and for real this time," she choked out.

"And it's Chuck's?" Blair nodded as the two sat down.

"We haven't talked since the morning we were supposed to leave for Tuscany. Judging by that fact, I'm not sure I _want_ to talk to him."

"I think you have to, B. I mean, he ditched you and didn't call, but it's his baby. He deserves to know."

"I can think of some other things he deserves a whole hell of a lot more."

"Like what, your foot up his ass?"

"I was thinking my driver's size 12 foot up his ass, actually," she giggled. Serena put her hand on Blair's knee.

"Everything's going to be alright, B."

"SERENA," they both heard. "Where's the key to the liquor cabinet?" They stood up as Chuck emerged from the house.

"Chuck, it's one o'clock in the afternoon," Serena chided. Chuck eyed the tiny brunette, taking her in for a moment.

"Hi," he half-whispered.

"I think you two need to have a conversation," Serena said as she headed into the house.

"Did you die," Blair asked.

"No."

"Then where the hell were you? I waited in Tuscany for a week! You didn't even call."

"Look Blair, we were headed for something serious. I wanted to take it slow."

"Then why did you invite me to spend a romantic week in Italy with you?"

"I don't know! It seemed like a good idea at the time."

"That's pretty much your catch phrase, isn't it? Well guess what? I think it's a good idea for us not to speak anymore."

"Blair, let's not get…"

"But that can't happen! Something really bad and scary is happening."

"What's going on? What's so bad," he asked as he touched Blair's arm. She smacked his hand away.

"I'm pregnant."


	3. Chapter 2

Author's Note: Italics indicate Blair's inner monologue.

"How did this happen," Chuck asked.

"You should know, you were there."

"We were safe! I always use a condom."

"They're not foolproof. I think it says that on the box. You've bought enough, you should know."

"Fuck! Blair, this is…this is not good."

"Tell me about it. I'm the one with an intruder in my womb." Chuck put his face in his hands and sighed.

"What are we going to do, Blair?"

"There's three options, and I don't like any of them"

"Which is the lesser of the evils?"

"I don't know. I always thought that if this happened, I'd have an abortion," she said as she tried to avoid making eye contact. "I'm not sure I can. And adoption…I mean, if you're going to get all huge and bloated you might as well keep the damn thing."

"Are we keeping it?"

"I think so," she whispered.

xxxx

That night, as Blair drifted in and out of sleep, she thought about her predicament. After a long and heated discussion, she and Chuck had decided to keep the baby. _We're going to be horrible parents! I'm even less maternal than Britney Spears, and Chuck is…Chuck._

At three o'clock in the morning, Blair gave up the hope that she'd sleep, so she grabbed her phone and dialed Serena's number.

"Hello," her best friend muttered groggily.

"S, I can't sleep."

"Try counting sheep; they're fun."

"I should probably see a doctor. Preferably one who won't tell my mother about the…you know."

"There's a gynecologist in Brooklyn who takes cash."

"How do you know?"

"Remember how I used to be a wild child?"

"Ah yes, that lovely phase."

"Well, it burned when I peed and you can't make me say any more."

"I should call them."

"I'll do you a favor and call in the morning. I'm not sure she's the best doctor though."

"As long as nobody finds out about the whole pregnancy thing, quality isn't my biggest concern."

"You should make Chuck go with you."

"Chuck and I aren't okay yet. Although, I guess forcing a man into going to the gynecologists is pretty torturous."

xxxx

After an hour of puking her guts up, Blair headed downstairs to join her mother for breakfast. Serena had called earlier, letting her know that the doctor would see her at noon.

"Good morning dear," Eleanor said from behind her paper. "Are you hungry?"

"No, I'm alright." Blair grabbed a small glass of juice and settled down at the table.

"So what are your plans today?"

"I was going to do some shopping."

"Didn't you do enough shopping in France?"

"I need to find a, um, gift for a friend."

"Alright, well, please be back by five. We're having dinner with Marshall Douglas at his new restaurant."

"I won't be late."

xxxx

At precisely 11:45, Blair entered Dr. Sotheby's office. She filled out some quick paper work and sat down, waiting for Chuck. Ten minutes later, Chuck strolled in casually.

"Blair, I'm not sure you should take your pants off here. It looks like you could get herpes from thinking about this place."

"They take cash and won't tell my mother, so excuse me for taking a personal safety risk."

A nurse appeared in the doorway with a clipboard.

"Blair? The doctor will see you now."

Blair and Chuck followed her to a small exam room, and she instructed Blair to sit on a table.

"When was your last period?" Blair could see Chuck squirming at the mere mention of menstruation.

"May 20."

"Alright, the doctor will be in shortly." The nurse exited, leaving the two alone.

xxxx

After the appointment, Blair and Chuck left the office building. A blood test confirmed that Blair was pregnant, and that she was ten weeks along.

"Do you need a ride," Chuck asked.

"No, my driver's picking me up around the corner."

"I can pick up those vitamins the doctor mentioned if you want."

"I'm quite capable Chuck."

"I'm just trying to be helpful. I've never gotten anyone pregnant before; I'm not really sure how this works."

"And I'm trying to forgive you for the little Tuscany stint. I don't need your help."

"Fine, if you don't want my help, I'm sure I can find someone who can." He huffed off in search of his limousine. _Way to go Waldorf, he was just trying to help._

She spun around, hoping he was still within earshot. Her face fell when she realized he'd actually left.


	4. Chapter 3

That evening, Blair and Eleanor dined with Marshall Douglas. Despite the fact that food turned her off, Blair ordered a salad to make her mother happy.

"So Eleanor," Marshall said, "how goes your new line?"

"Splendidly. It's a lot of florals with some old Hollywood glamour mixed in. I've got an intern who has quite an eye."

"Anyone I would know?"

"Not likely," Blair spat out. Eleanor glared at her.

"Her name is Jenny. She's got a lot of potential." Blair scoffed at the remark. The waiter brought out the main course, and the smell sent Blair's stomach churning.

"Blair dear, are you alright," Eleanor questioned.

"I think I'm going to be sick," Blair shouted as she ran to the bathroom.

xxxx

In the car, Eleanor handed her daughter some water.

"Drink this," she said callously. "You need to keep hydrated."

"I'm sorry if I embarrassed you."

"Believe me, you didn't. To be perfectly honest, I find Marshall Douglas to be a pompous ass, so I was glad to leave. What have you eaten today?"

"That salad. I haven't had much of an appetite."

"You're not having that problem again are you?"

"No, mother."

"I had to ask. I don't know what else could be wrong. You don't have a fever." Blair swallowed her water and looked at her feet. She silently put her hand on her stomach.

"Oh, Blair! No! You're not, are you?"

"I'm sorry," Blair cried. Eleanor hugged her.

"Chuck's the father?" Blair nodded. "Oh dear."

xxxx

Nate sat on a red lawn chair in his back yard reading Fight Club. He was completely oblivious to the world around him, and he liked it that way.

"Enjoying your novel," Chuck asked as he walked to the chair. Nate put the book down.

"Chuck Bass, where have you been all summer? I thought Tuscany was the plan."

"Tuscany didn't happen. I've been in Rio."

"Rio, huh? I thought Blair made you a reformed man."

"I'm in something deep, man."

"What?"

"Blair's pregnant."

"Oh jeez. Are you keeping it?"

"I think that's the plan. I can't be a father," he said, pacing. "I'm drunk five nights out of the week. How can I take care of another human being?"

"I'm not sure I'm the best person to ask. I've never gotten anyone pregnant. Maybe your dad could help."

"Have you met Bart? He wouldn't exactly be thrilled with being a grandpa."

"I think you just have to love it. If there's love, anything's possible."

"Oh god, Nathaniel. You haven't been watching Steel Magnolias again, have you?"

"I'm fond of Sally Field, sue me."

xxxx

Blair was relieved to find out that after the first trimester, her morning sickness had nearly subsided. This was excellent because her appetite was now huge. She sat in her kitchen eating anything Dorota could throw at her.

"Miss Blair, Chuck is here," Dorota told her. Chuck strode in to the kitchen with flowers in his grasp. He handed them to Blair.

"What are these for?"

"What? I can't just give you flowers?"

"No. I was…a total hormonal bitch to you."

"You wouldn't let me do anything for you."

"I'm pregnant, so I reserve the right to be a little crazy, but I was just mean to you. I'm…I'm sorry."

"I hate to break it to you, but you've always been crazy, dear. Listen, the flowers are because I'm telling my father about the baby tonight and I was hoping you'd come. It's a whole big family dinner."

"That's sweet! You used to just blackmail me into doing things!"

"I'm trying to be a better person. You know: no blackmailing, no gambling, less drinking."

"_Less_ drinking?"

"I'm only human."

xxxx

After that night's family dinner, Chuck and Bart watched as Blair and Serena discussed Chanel's fall line.

"So I see you and Blair have made up from that little indiscretion."

"As much as can be expected."

"She's lovely," Bart said as he sipped his whiskey. "So why did you want us all here tonight? You're not usually so family-oriented."

"Something's happened."

"Did you get another MIP? Because I swear, Charles, I will not bail you out of jail again."

"I'm going to be a father." Bart spit out his drink.

"Chuck! What were you thinking? You're both 17. You should have been more careful!"

"We were careful. It just happened." Bart studied Blair for a moment. After all, she was the mother of his grandchild.

"I hope you know well enough to do the right thing, Charles."

"The right thing? Do you mean I should marry her?"

"That's what people in polite society do when these things happen. You can have your grandmother's engagement ring if you want."

"I'm not going to marry her."

Bart gave him a glaring, stern look.

"You don't have much choice, kiddo."


	5. Chapter 4

In the end of August, Blair and Serena went on their annual back-to-school clothing expedition. It had been a tradition since they were in grade school.

The girls were in Bendel's picking out dresses. Blair grabbed a new Zac Posen frock and headed into the dressing room. She unzipped the dress and stepped into it, pulling it up. It was at this moment that she noticed a small bulge in her stomach. She dropped the dress, rubbed the spot, and burst into tears.

"B, are you okay?" Serena knocked on the door. "Hey, open up." Blair opened the door and sank to the floor.

"I'm huge," she cried. "Nothing's going to fit."

"You're insane! Here you are, almost four months pregnant and you're still skinnier than me."

"I have a belly."

"You're showing, so what? I say it's an excuse to indulge in your monstrous appetite."

"I'm not ready for this. Everyone is going to know that I'm _with child_."

"I'll bet Chuck likes your body!"

"S, can we please not talk about Chuck and my body?" Serena picked the dress off of the floor and put it back on the hanger.

"If it makes you feel any better, we can stop shopping."

"I need clothes that fit. I'm currently reduced to a few baby doll dresses."

"There are some cute maternity boutiques nearby."

"I'm not wearing maternity clothes. I'd rather squeeze myself into an ill-fitting spandex tube top than wear maternity clothes."

xxxx

The first day of school in Manhattan had always been quite an affair. Girls would spend hours primping and finding the perfect accessories.

The day was less than thrilling for Blair, however. She was now noticeably pregnant.

"Mom, please don't make me go," she pleaded.

"You have to go, it's the first day."

"What if I stayed home and you got me a tutor?"

"Absolutely not! I know how concerned you are with your physical appearance, but I have no sympathy. You're pregnant and have to deal with the consequences."

"Fine," Blair huffed as she headed out the door. She glanced at her watch and noticed it was 7:30. Chuck would be waiting for her in his town car. As she exited the door, she looked and spotted the car. Chuck stepped out, opened the door for her, and they both slid in.

"Ready?"

"Hardly," Blair scoffed. "Have you noticed this stomach? I bet I'll be the talk of the town by nine a.m."

"I didn't really see your stomach; I just noticed how beautiful you look."

"What's with the flattery, Bass?"

"I'm trying to be more decent, remember? And, okay, my father said I should complement you because you're hormonal."

"I'd appreciate it if you were nice to me on your own accord. I mean, I'm only carrying your child." He brushed her cheek with his hand.

"Then how about this," he whispered. "You, me, and a romantic dinner in my suite."

"I'll consider it."

xxxx

When Blair exited the car, she could tell that all eyes were on her. Everyone whispered about what appeared to be a baby bump. She wished she could crawl under a rock, but couldn't find any large enough. She walked over to the steps of the Met and joined Serena and the gang. She could spot Penelope glaring at her.

"Hey B," Serena said. Blair sat down. There was an awkward silence for a few moments.

"So Blair, when are you due," Hazel finally asked. _You can't hide it forever._

"February."

"I'm sure you'll make an excellent un-wed teenage mother," Penelope laughed. Blair could feel the anger swelling in her gut.

"At least I have an excuse for having a Buddha belly. My advice? Lay off the crepes, sweetie."

xxxx

"Blair," Nate shouted as he ran across the campus. He panted as he caught up to her. "Hey! How are you…feeling," he asked, motioning towards her stomach.

"People are starting to find out. Which, okay, I guess is inevitable, but it's still weird."

"You're strong, Blair. You'll be fine. You know, I'm glad you and Chuck are getting along. He was worried after the decorator fiasco."

"Decorator?"

"You know, the reason he didn't go to Tuscany…the decorator." She had no idea what he was talking about, which worried her.

xxxx

Blair spent the entire day wondering what the decorator had to do with Chuck's Italian absence. She was ready to confront him when they met in his suite that evening.

"I'm glad you could make it," Chuck said.

"What happened with your decorator?"

"Excuse me?"

"I see you've gone deaf. Allow me to repeat. What happened with your decorator?"

"Nothing!"

"Really! Because your best friend seems to think otherwise. What? Did you sleep with her?" He nodded solemnly.

"It was a mistake, Blair. A huge mistake!"

"I'll say," she shouted. "I can't believe for a second I thought you had changed! You're the same old Chuck Bass."

"Blair, please! I never meant you hurt you. She meant nothing to me. I love _you_."

"You had sex with another girl while you were supposed to be with me," she cried. "I can't trust you. That's the final straw, Chuck. You're out of my life and you're out of the baby's life."

"You can't do that!"

"Watch me." She left the room, slamming the door. Chuck let out a mournful sigh as he fingered the diamond ring in his pocket.

xxxx

"Chuck, you need to stop wallowing," Serena said bluntly.

"I think I have due cause to wallow."

"Blair's upset and hormonal; she'll come around."

"Serena, she's cutting me out of my child's life. I…" He didn't know what to say.

"Chuck Bass had a heart. Who knew?"

"She had an ultrasound yesterday. I was going to take her shopping for baby clothes afterwards."

"It's a girl."

"What?"

"Blair found out the sex. You're going to have a daughter."

"Thank you," he said as he sighed. "Of course I'd have a daughter."

"Maybe she'll force you to appreciate women!"


	6. Chapter 5

Author's Note: Sorry for the delay! It's hard to type with a broken finger.

By the second week of school, Blair's pregnancy was all anybody could talk about. While it was widely acknowledged that Chuck was the father, a few choice students were convinced that the real father was a European mystery man. A few other students were convinced that Blair had been abducted by aliens and impregnated. Every bit of talk about the Waldorf baby was documented on Gossip Girl. The scandal maven had set up a special page dedicated solely to Blair's spawn.

Surfing the page, Serena couldn't believe that her best friend's pregnancy was the cause for so much chit-chat.

"Hey B, did you know that according to Gossip Girl, you're having quintuplets?"

Blair put down her sandwich and rubbed her belly. "Well, that would explain my appetite."

"Ooh," she squealed, "a new update! Apparently you've…" she stopped mid-sentence.

"I've what, S?"

"Nevermind," she said, exiting the browser on her phone.

"What won't you tell me?"

"It has to do with a person whose name rhymes with 'fuck'. You know the one person I'm not allowed to talk about."

"What about him," she asked.

"It says that you've banned him from ever seeing the baby."

"Gossip Girl got one right."

"B, I know that what he did was horrible, but don't you think you're being a little hard on him?"

"Serena, he cheated on me."

"Yeah, on _you_. He wants to be a part of his daughter's life. He's been so depressed; I've never seen him like this before."

"Good, he should be depressed," she huffed as she walked away.

xxxx

Chuck Bass had been miserable before. After a night of too many drinks or too many women, he'd felt the physical sting of it all. But he'd never been emotionally miserable. He couldn't handle feeling this way.

He snuck into his father's bathroom, heading for the medicine cabinet. He scanned the shelves until he found what he was looking for: Bart's bottle of sleeping pills. He pocketed them and walked to the liquor cabinet, grabbing a bottle of tequila.

Chuck spilled out all of the pills, counting them. There were 24. He knew it was enough to do the trick. Sipping on the bottle of tequila, he slowly downed all 24 and waited for them to take affect.

Twenty minutes later, Eric arrived at the penthouse. He found it eerily quiet.

"Is anyone home," he called. Nobody answered. He was happy to have the place to himself for once. After eating half a bag of Doritos, he decided he needed some music. His thoughts automatically went to Chuck's Louis XIV CD.

Eric slowly turned the doorknob to Chuck's room. When the door was fully opened, he dropped the bag of chips on the ground. Chuck's seemingly lifeless body was lying on the bed.

xxxx

Blair was having a good night. Dorota had made her favorite dinner, and Breakfast at Tiffany's was on Showtime. She settled on the couch with a bowl of popcorn and turned the movie on. She got ten minutes in when her phone rang.

"Hey, S," she said casually.

"Blair, something horrible's happened," she said frantically.

"What is it?"

"I'm at the hospital. They think that Chuck tried to kill himself."

"What?!"

"The doctor had to pump his stomach. He took a whole bottle of sleeping pills."

"Is he okay," she asked as her voice broke.

"He's still unconscious. Eric found him and he's really shaken up."

"I'll be right there."

xxxx

Blair arrived at Bellevue hospital at exactly 8:15. A nurse pointed her in the direction of the intensive care unit, and she looked for Serena. She found her best friend sitting in a chair across from a drinking fountain.

"I'm so glad you're here B," Serena said, hugging Blair.

"How is he doing?"

"He woke up, but he's not talking. Bart's in there now with a psychiatrist."

"Why did he do it?"

"I don't know. He didn't leave a note or anything."

"Do you think it's because I banned him from the baby's life," she asked as tears streamed down her face. They hugged again as Bart entered the room.

"Blair, I'm glad you're here," he said. "Charles said he'll only talk to you."

"He did?"

"Yes. You can go in." She froze for a minute, and then arose and headed for the room. She opened the door, spying Chuck in bed. Blair took a deep breath and then went in.

"Blair," he said weakly.

"I'm here."

"You're getting so big," he smiled.

"Chuck, why did you do this," she cried.

"I have nothing to live for. You hate me, and won't let me be a part of my daughter's life. Why not die?"

"Because I love you," she shouted. "Even after you ditched me, even after you cheated on me, I still love you. If you had killed yourself I don't know what I would have done. I can't do this alone! I've tried; it's too hard."

"What does that mean?"

"I don't know. I just…I'm so happy Eric found you in time," she cried. She buried her head in his electrode-bearing chest.

"I'm so sorry I hurt you. I thought it'd be easier to be dead than to live with myself."

"Don't ever think that, Chuck. Our baby needs you. And I need you, too."


	7. Chapter 6

Chuck Bass hated psychiatrists. They tried to get into his head; tried to understand him. He only wanted one person to understand him: Blair.

Despite his hatred of psychiatrists, he attended a mandatory therapy session every Tuesday and Thursday following his suicide attempt. On one October afternoon, he strode into Dr. Fritz's office, walking up to the cute receptionist.

"Hi, I'm here for Dr. Fritz."

"Hi Chuck," she said as sexily as she could (which was not very).

"Can I just go right on in? It's three o'clock now."

"Sure." He walked down a small hallway and wandered for a minute, finally finding his destination: room 3. He knocked on the door, and the doctor told him to enter. He immediately sat down.

"Good afternoon, Chuck," she smiled. "How are you doing today?"

"Very well. I went to the MoMA today."

"Today's Thursday, don't you have school?"

"Probably. I decided to take a mental health day, no pun intended."

"Chuck, school's very important. You're a senior! Don't you like school?"

"I actually loathe it."

"Why is that?"

"Usually I can stand the gossip; moronic freshmen thinking they know more than they do. But it's getting to me."

"Are people talking about your suicide attempt?"

"They're not talking about me." Dr. Fritz glanced at Chuck's file.

"Are they talking about Blair?"

"Yeah."

"What are they saying?"

"I don't know, I mostly just catch tidbits. Something about 'pregnant whore'. It bothers me when people say things about her."

"It's natural to be put off by gossip about our loved ones." She shifted in her chair. "Do you love Blair?"

"That's not exactly a simple question. There are factors, like if she's being a bitch that day."

"I think it's a pretty simple question. Do you love Blair?"

"Yes. I try not to, but I can't help it. I hate talking about my feelings towards her. It makes me feel like…I don't know!"

"It's like alcoholism, Chuck. Admitting it is the first step."

xxxx

At 21 weeks pregnant, Blair could no longer fit into any sort of uniform. She was devastated. Being pregnant and having a belly had drudged up past fears of weight gain. It sent her thoughts spiraling. _If I could just stop gaining weight, it'd be perfect. _

She pulled on a shift dress her mother had made for her and trekked downstairs. Blair found Eleanor sitting at the kitchen table.

"That dress looks good on you dear," she commented.

"Please don't patronize me, mother. I'm a blimp."

"You're not a blimp. You're housing another life."

"My uniform doesn't fit anymore."

"Again?" Eleanor sighed. "Alright, I'll…I'll see if Jenny can make some alterations."

"I don't think alterations are going to fix it. Maybe I should just be home schooled. I could wear whatever I wanted."

"Blair! We talked about this."

"I know, but it _would_ make things easier. Dr. Baumann said I need to relax, and I could if I could stay here."

"Alright, I'll consider it," she spat out. "Don't you have plans with Chuck today?"

"We're going and looking at cribs."

"Have a good time, dear."

xxxx

"What do you think of this one," Chuck asked, pointing to a crib. Blair waddled over to it and ran her fingers along the wood.

"I think it just gave me a splinter. Absolutely not!"

"Blair, we've been to five stores. Can you please just make up your mind?"

"Chuck! This is out child's first bed. I want it to be perfect." She spied a white crib and touched it. "This one's nice."

Chuck took a moment to observe the scene. He loved that a pregnant Blair was much shapelier. She finally has breasts and hips.

"You're beautiful," he whispered.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"No, what did you say?"

"I said you're beautiful."

"Chuck, please don't. We talked about it. Right now we're focusing on the baby, not us."

"I can't help it. You really are stunning." He brushed her cheek. "I've never found you more attractive."

"Okay, now you're lying. I'm humongous."

"You know, there's a dressing room over there. I bet we could both go in without anyone noticing."

"You're a perv, Bass. You want to have sex in a baby boutique," she whispered.

"Absolutely." He grabbed her hand and intertwined her fingers with his. Chuck stared into her eyes.

"Okay, but if we get caught, you were just helping me try on a sweater," she giggled as she pulled him into the room.


	8. Chapter 7

**Author's Note: I just wanted to preface this by saying I'm very sorry for the four (five?) month delay. When I'm uninspired I can't write. But now I'm back in full force! I've decided to include some cannon in the story (Cyndi Lauper, Cyrus) to change it up. I expect to have several more chapters up throughout December.**

* * *

"So B," Serena started as she sat on her best friend's bed, "what are we doing for your birthday? It _is_ right around the corner."

Blair, all the while, was turning in profile to look at her belly in the mirror. Her left hand briefly rubbed the protrusion before she turned to Serena.

"I'm not having a party. There's no way I can have fun if I look like Jabba the Hut," she sighed disgustedly.

"You know how I'm your best friend and I love you, right? I'm yelling at you all out of love: you are not fat! You're pregnant. You had sex with Chuck and now you're pregnant!"

"You must be really tired of my complaining," Blair whispered meekly.

"Tired is an understatement, dear," she shifted. "I've got an idea! You and I are going to get all dolled up and go see a show for your birthday! Remember when we saw _Phantom_ for the first time? You compared Nate to Raul for six weeks."

"I don't know if Broadway's really my style anymore."

"I heard that Cyndi Lauper's playing a one-night-only show! Maybe I could scrounge up some tickets."

Blair jumped up and down in excitement. "That's the best idea ever," she screamed and clapped. Her excitement was dulled, however, when she saw Dorota.

"Mr. Chuck is here for you," she said as she poked her head in.

"Thank you, Dorota. I'll be out in a minute."

"You're slightly less perky now," Serena noted. "You and Chuck hitting a rough patch?"

"Ugh, it's like someone forgot to moisturize their elbow for fifteen years!"

"I thought you two were doing fine after the whole suicide attempt. I remember disgustingly vivid stories of baby boutique sex."

"I just, I feel like I have to keep up a happy face with him. I'm afraid that if I don't…" she trailed off.

"B, I don't think he's going to try anything if you yell at him. Okay, I didn't tell you this, but I walked in on him making a list of baby names. It would have been really cute if he wasn't in his underwear at the time. He lives and breathes for you two now."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Now go see what he wants!"

xxxx

Blair sauntered down the stairs in her flowing dress, eyeing Chuck in the foyer.

"You look…" he started.

"I know," she smiled. "So what's up?"

"I had a thought."

"Alert the media! Chuck Bass has had a thought!"

"I'll ignore that, but only because your cleavage is mesmerizing. I was thinking, maybe I could take you out on Saturday for an early birthday celebration."

"What kind of celebration do you have in mind?"

"Dinner at the Four Seasons. Dancing. And maybe some presents."

"I guess," she said slyly. "But only as long as there's crème brulee on the menu."

xxxx

Saturday couldn't come any slower in Blair's mind. She'd been secretly looking forward to it all week. As far as she was concerned, nothing was going to ruin her evening with Chuck.

She eyed herself in the mirror and smiled. She hadn't felt this beautiful since the van der Bass wedding. Her one-of-a-kind maternity dress knew exactly where to flow and exactly where to cling. As she applied her lipstick, her mother knocked.

"Blair, you look wonderful! I'm glad that dress fits. I had Jenny toiling over it for weeks."

"I do look stunning, don't I? Could you…" she asked as she held up her necklace. Eleanor took the necklace and placed it on her daughter, taking special care with the clasp.

"Listen, I don't know if you have birthday plans or not, but I was hoping we could do a nice dinner together."

"Serena and I are going to see a show, but I don't see why I couldn't squeeze in some mother-daughter time before hand. It'd be just us, right?"

"Well," Eleanor squirmed, "there's somebody I want you to meet."

"Somebody? A male somebody," Blair shot up in outrage.

"His name is Cyrus, and I've been trying to find the right time to introduce you. Oh, he's wonderful Blair! You know, when I told him about the baby, he said he was going to order you a limited edition Marc Jacobs pram! Isn't that nice?"

"No, mother. Nice would be _not_ introducing me to your sugar daddy on my birthday!"

"Honey, I just…" she sighed, "Nevermind. I was just hoping you could understand that I really like him and need some companionship. He's a nice guy who's genuinely interested in me. Let's face it, I'm not exactly a spring chicken, and having your husband leave you for a man doesn't do much for your social stock."

"Alright," Blair relented. "I'll meet him, and I'll play nice, but I don't have to like him."

xxxx

Chuck's limo picked Blair up at precisely 8:03 that night. As the chauffeur opened the door for her, she looked puzzled: Chuck wasn't inside.

"Mr. Bass is meeting us at the restaurant," he said to the bewildered lady. She slid in as he shut the door.

After what seemed like an hour, the car stopped and her door opened. "Miss Waldorf, we're here. Mr. Bass asked me to escort you to the door," he said as she got out. They walked through the open door to the maitre d'. "Have a nice evening, Miss Waldorf." He turned away and left.

"Ah, you must be Blair Waldorf," the maitre d' said as she took Blair's arm. "Mr. Bass has been expecting you." She led Blair to the dining room. Blair was astonished: Chuck was the only person in the entire restaurant.

"You look ravishing," Chuck whispered as he took her hand. He pulled out her chair and she sat down.

"Did you rent out the entire restaurant?"

"What can I say? I do grand, romantic gestures well."

"Chuck, this is…" she smiled. "This is amazing."

"I just wanted to show you how much I love you. You deserve this."

She became teary eyed as she heard the words escaping his lips. "Now what would you like to eat, darling? Anything you want."

"Anything? I could really go for some lobster." Chuck motioned for the waiter.

"Your finest lobster for the lady, and the braised rack of lamb for me."

"Right away sir!"

Forty-five minutes later, just as Blair was finishing her prized crème brulee, Chuck slid two small packages from a bag on the floor. Blair saw the decadently wrapped boxes and dropped her fork.

"Are these for me?"

"Of course. Which one would you like first?"

"The little one," she squealed. He handed her the smallest box and watched as she tore the paper off. She squealed even more when she saw that the box was a familiar shade of Tiffany blue. "Chuck," she said as she fingered the small bracelet, "it's beautiful."

He handed her the larger box, and again watched as she tore into in. Her eyes widened with confusion when she saw what was inside. "I don't get it," she said bluntly. She pulled out the small leather holder with uncertainty.

"It's a passport holder."

"Oh. OH! Are you taking me somewhere? I'm in my third trimester, I can't fly."

"Not now! I was hoping we could have a Tuscany re-do after the baby is born."

"You're, you're…" she stammered. "You're amazing. Who are you and where is Chuck Bass?"

"Wait to be even more astonished," he said as he reached into his coat pocket. He got down on one knee as he opened the small velvet box. "Marry me."


	9. Chapter 8

**Author's Note: See, chapter 8 is up in December! Better late than never, right?**

**

* * *

**

Blair was in shock. She couldn't believe what Chuck was doing in front of her. After what seemed like five days, Chuck finally restated his question.

"So, will you marry me?" His eyes twinkled like she'd never seen before; they were gleaming with hope.

"I, I…um," she stuttered. She looked at the floor, the waiter, her belly; anything but him.

"Not exactly the reception I was hoping for, Waldorf," he laughed nervously. Blair set her napkin on the table and knelt down, grabbing his hand. She pulled him to his feet.

"Chuck, the ring is beautiful, but you have to know I could never say yes."

"Why not?"

"Because we're seventeen years old!"

"We're also having a baby in three months! I think that makes us just a bit more mature than our classmates."

"My mother would have an aneurysm, Chuck. Not to mention what everyone would say!"

"Who cares what everyone says! I love you, that's all I care about."

"I love you too, but I can't, okay," she cried. She looked around and saw that the waiters were watching the entire debacle. "What, do you guys want a picture so you can send in a tip to Gossip Girl? I'd love to pose," she screamed.

They both sat back down at the table, neither one making eye contact. Blair desperately wanted to hold Chuck's hand, but decided it wasn't appropriate.

Chuck pulled out his cell phone and dialed. "Hello, Louis? It's Chuck. Miss Waldorf is ready to go home now."

"I don't want to go home," her voice cracked.

"Well, I don't particularly want you here."

"Just because I'm not ready for marriage doesn't mean I don't want to be with you," she sobbed. "If I didn't want you why would I be having your baby? I, I need one big life change at a time. Do you even know what I've been going through the last six months?"

"How can I? You won't let me in."

"I don't want to get hurt again," she whispered. Chuck walked around the table, grabbed her hand, and put it to his chest.

"I never want to hurt you again, Blair."

"My back hurts all the time," she stated meekly. He smiled at her.

xxxx

As Blair entered her penthouse, she immediately sensed that something was different. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, though.

She walked towards the kitchen, hoping to eat a banana, when she heard raucous laughs.

"Oh Blair, you're home early," her mother laughed. "This," she pointed, "this is Cyrus." The short man standing next to Eleanor extended his hand. Blair, rather begrudgingly, shook it.

"It's so nice to finally meet you, Blair! And look at how big you are," he said as he rubbed her belly. Blair glared at her mother.

"Cyrus and I were just talking about you, dear! He's very excited for your birthday dinner."

"I'm glad someone is," she snarled.

"So how was your evening," Cyrus asked. "Your mother said you were out with your boyfriend."

"It was wonderful, stupendous, fantastic. I'm going to bed," she said as she exited towards the stairs. She couldn't believe her mother's taste in men.

xxxx

"He's like a hobbit," Blair whined to Serena the next day. "I have no idea what the woman is thinking."

"Maybe she's looking past his physical appearance and seeing who he really is."

"I hate him."

"Oh, you do not! You just don't know him."

"Whatever, he needs to go. I've got a plan."

"How about you let your mother be happy! You're about to be a mom, have some compassion."

"FINE! They'll probably self destruct on their own anyway."

"So, a little birdie told me that Chuck proposed to you."

"Who needs their feathers ripped out?"

"Bart."

"How did he know?"

"I heard Bart and my mom talking. Apparently, he told Chuck he had to marry you."

"He did?"

"Yeah. I guess Bart's not to keen on the whole 'child born out of wedlock' thing."

Blair began thinking, and then stood up. "I have to go," she shouted as she hailed a taxi. "I'll call you later."

xxxx

Blair rapt on the Bass suite door, hoping someone would answer. Her prayers were answered when Bart opened the door.

"Blair! Nice to see you. My, you're getting big."

"That's what everyone's saying! Is Chuck here? I need to talk to him."

"I think Charles is in his room. I haven't seen him much today."

"Thanks, Mr. Bass." She followed the short hallway to the familiar door and opened it slowly. "Chuck," she called.

"Blair, what are you doing here," he asked, visibly startled.

"Serena told me you were forced to propose. Is that true?"

"Listen, just because it's what my father wants doesn't mean I don't want it too." He could see her staring at him. "He said he'd kick me out and cut me off if I didn't. Apparently, he doesn't want a bastard grandchild to mar his reputation."

"Is he really going to kick you out?"

"I don't know." Blair began to tear up. "Hey, don't worry. Worrying isn't good for the baby. If it happens, I'll figure something out. Chuck Bass is resourceful," he grinned.

"No. Your dad can't just kick you out! You're only seventeen."

"You've met Bart Bass, right? He's not exactly the most caring man on the planet."

Blair wiped the tears from her eyes and stood up straight. "Then I guess we have to get married," she announced.

"What? Blair, you can't be serious!"

"I'm serious. Where's my ring?" Chuck found his jacket from the night before and rifled through the pocket, digging out the ring box. "Now ask me," she demanded.

"Blair Waldorf, will you marry me?"

"Yes," she said as they hugged.

xxxx

Bart Bass pulled away from his son's door smiling. After months of pestering and threatening, Chuck had finally done the right thing. Sure, a baby wasn't part of the original plan, but Bart was actually proud at his only child's maturity.

He strolled into the parlor, picked up his briefcase, and planted a kiss of his wife's forehead.

"What was that for?"

"Who says I need an excuse to love my wife," Bart asked. "Listen, I have a meeting in twenty, but why don't we have a romantic dinner later? I'll phone the kitchen and have them make anything you want."

"You're in an awfully good mood! I'm guessing it has to do with your son?"

"He's finally growing up and showing responsibility. Dare I say, I'm proud of the boy?"

"Well it's about time," Lily beamed. "By the way, dinner sounds fantastic. Eight o'clock?"

"Eight o'clock," he repeated as he made his way out the door.

xxxx

"I know you'll enjoy the concert, Blair," Cyrus said as he finished off his glass of wine. "I met Cyndi Lauper in 1988. She's quite the character."

"You met Cyndi Lauper?"

"My ex-wife was a huge fan, so I surprised her on our anniversary. I paid Cyndi to play in our foyer."

"How romantic," Eleanor smiled.

"And now, for presents my dear," Cyrus giggled. He pushed a small box across the table at Blair. She grabbed it, wondering what it could contain. After unwrapping it, she recognized the Tiffany blue box and laughed. Inside was a small gold locket.

"It's beautiful," she said mesmerized.

"Open it," he said. Blair followed his instructions and found a darling photo of herself and Eleanor on her ninth birthday. "Once the little one is here, we can put a photo of all three of you. It's a Waldorf women's locket!"

"Thank you," she screamed as she jumped up to hug him. After a moment, she realized the scene she was making, smoothed out her dress, and sat back down. "Thank you, Cyrus, really." Blair sat the necklace back in the box when her phone began to ring.

"Darling, do you really need you answer that now? We're in the middle of dinner," Eleanor chided.

"It's Serena. She's probably having a fashion crisis." She answered the call and exchanged pleasantries with her best friend. After a few seconds, her face fell and she dropped the phone.

"Blair, what is it?"

"Bart Bass was in an accident. He's dead."

* * *

**Author's Note #2: I included Bart's death, as you can see, but I decided to shorten the timeline a bit and have him die before Thanksgiving. It just fit better this way.**


	10. Chapter 9

**Author's Note: Here's chapter 9! I'm not completely happy with it, but here it is anyway. Chapter 10 should be up by the end of the month.**

* * *

Blair rushed out of the restaurant after the initial shock and awe wore off. With her Givenchy coat barely on one arm, she hailed a taxi, shouted an address at the driver, and took a deep breath. _Bart Bass is dead. I think it's safe to say Chuck's not going to handle this well. _

She stared out the taxicab window, taking in the familiar sights to soothe herself. Her nerves were frayed, and she didn't want the stress to be passed along to the baby. She felt her daughter kick, and quickly rubbed her belly. "Calm down little one," she whispered. "I'm sure daddy will be fine."

"Miss, we're here."

"Thank you," she said as she threw a fifty at him. She flung open the door and awkwardly made her way out. Blair was well into her sixth month of pregnancy and had found it hard to do even the most basic things.

She made her way through the lobby, into the elevator, and down the hall to Chuck's suite. Pausing, she thought about what she'd say to him when he opened the door. The truth was, she wasn't sure there was anything she _could_ say. She rapt at the door, but nobody answered.

"Chuck, it's me," she croaked. "Serena called and I…" she paused as the door opened. Her boyfriend stood on the other side, eyes red and clothes rumpled. Although she couldn't see the whisky bottle, she was certain he'd been drinking. Blair touched his cheek, and he fell into her like a wounded child. "Shh," she whispered.

xxxx

Two days passed in a hurry, and Chuck had not yet left his suite. Although she was heavily pregnant, Blair took it upon herself to be his liaison to the outside world. One day before the funeral was set to take place, she took a meeting with the visibly frazzled Lily.

"How is Charles doing?"

"As well as can be expected, I suppose. He won't shower, but I finally got him to intake something other than vodka."

"I want Charles to speak at the service. I know he and Bart often had a troubled relationship, but I think they knew each other best. I know Bart would have loved his only son to give a speech."

"I'll pass it along, but I doubt he'll do it. I've never seen him this broken before," her voice cracked.

"Just please ask him to consider it."

"Of course."

xxxx

"I'm back," Blair shouted as she flopped down on Chuck's king-sized bed. She kicked off her shoes and thumbed through what may have been the only non-pornographic magazine in the suite. Chuck emerged from the bathroom wearing only a towel. "I see you're back to showering. Congratulations."

He sat down next to her, a pained expression on his face.

"What's wrong?"

"I don't think I can do this," he scratched out.

"Do what?"

"The funeral, school, the baby: anything."

"Chuck, you're in a lot of pain right now. You're confused and grieving."

"I think this is the clearest my mind's been in a long time. My father always said I was a screw-up. I guess it's only a matter of time before I prove him right."

"Your dad loved you! He may not have always made it known, but he did."

"What do you know, Blair? Do you have any idea how many times he told me I'd never amount to anything? I tried to be a good son and live up to his expectations, but that wasn't good enough. Now what do I have to show for it? No parents, no self-esteem, and a bastard child before my 18th birthday!"

"You have me," she shouted. She took his hand and placed it on her belly. "We didn't plan this baby, Chuck, but this is a really good thing! I've seen the way you stare at the ultrasound, and the way you talk to her. She's your daughter; you're family. _We're_ your family. There's no way your father didn't love you. This kid's not even out of the womb and you're already over-the-moon in love with her."

"I just can't deal with everything right now. I need to get away," he said as he motioned to a suitcase in the corner. Blair choked on her spit with surprise.

"So, what, you're just going to leave? Your dad's funeral is tomorrow. You don't even want to say goodbye?"

"No."

"That's it then? Things get too real and you jump ship? I've been walking on eggshells for the past few days trying to help you through this, and you repay me by leaving?"

Chuck looked down with a look of self-loathing on his face. "I'm sorry. I bought a ticket to Thailand. I don't know when I'll be back. I just can't be here, Blair. Everything in this goddamn city reminds me of the failure I am. My father wouldn't have wanted me at his funeral anyway."

"If you walk out that door, don't you dare come back! I can't keep dealing with your shit, Chuck. If you leave, don't expect us to be waiting for you when you return."

"I'm sorry," he whispered again as he walked back into the bathroom.

xxxx

The walk back to her penthouse had been the longest twenty minutes of Blair's life. As the elevator doors opened, revealing the familiar décor, she couldn't help but let out a wailing sob.

"Miss Blair," Dorota bellowed," what's wrong?" Dorota took Blair by the hand and led her to the couch.

"I think Chuck left me," she cried. Dorota frantically searched for a tissue, and upon finding one, handed it to Blair.

"Miss Blair, I'm sure this is mistake. Mr. Chuck love you and baby."

"The only mistake was me thinking he'd changed. He's not even sticking around for his dad's funeral. I can't believe I was so stupid."

"I'm sure Mr. Chuck will come around. How about I run bubble bath for you?"

"That would be nice."

As soon as Dorota got Blair into her bath, she ran back downstairs and found Blair's phone. She looked in the phonebook, found the number she was looking for, and dialed.

"Hello," Nate answered.

"Hello, Mr. Nate. This is Dorota. I need favor, for Miss Blair."

"Um, sure. What is it?"

"I need you to find Mr. Chuck. He left Miss Blair."

"Do you know where he is?"

"He leaves for Bangkok tonight. Please hurry. Miss Blair is very upset. Is bad for the baby."

"Of course."

xxxx

Nate wasn't sure where to start on his search for Chuck, so he began at the most likely place: the Palace. He made his way up to suite 1812 and noticed the door was ajar. Intrigued, he pushed it open the rest of the way.

Inside, Chuck's clothes were strewn about, and a Louis Vuitton suitcase was sitting atop the bed.

"Chuck," he called out. He walked through the room, noting the empty alcohol bottles by the bar.

"Nathaniel, what are you doing here?"

"Chuck, what are you doing?"

"What does it look like? I'm packing. I'm leaving on a jet plane: can't say when I'll be back again."

"Look, I know you're hurting right now, but you're in no condition to be making these rash decisions. You can't just leave New York."

"I have a credit card that begs to differ, buddy." Chuck tripped over a silk shirt and barely caught himself.

"Are you drunk?"

"Little bit."

"Dorota sent me. She's worried about what you're doing to Blair."

"Oh Dorota! Where would we be without her? She's the eyes and ears of the fucking Upper East Side! You tell Dorota that Blair will be fine. In fact, she'll be better off without me. I'm a screw-up, didn't you know that Nathaniel?"

"Blair's not going to be better off without you, man. You've got a baby coming in a few months. She needs you to help her."

"This kid needs a semblance of a normal life. I can't give that to her! Blair's going to be a great mom. Maybe she'll marry a nice, well-adjusted attorney who will raise my daughter. Hey, maybe you could marry her!"

"Chuck, this is your opportunity to prove to your father that you're not a failure! The best thing you can do to prove him wrong is to be the best dad you can be. Don't just stay for Blair; stay for your daughter. That little girl will be living proof that you're a good person. As far as I'm concerned, the only way you're a failure is if you leave."

Chuck settled onto his bed, pushing the luggage to the floor. "I don't deserve them."

"I don't know if that's true, but I do know this: if you don't go see Blair now, you'll never be able to fix things."

"I'm a little tipsy right now. Would you mind accompanying me?"

"Absolutely."

xxxx

As Chuck rode the elevator up to the Waldorf penthouse, he realized he'd never been so nervous in his life. The doors opened, and he took a deep breath. He marched into the living room where he saw Blair sprawled on the couch.

"Blair," he started. She turned towards him, and he saw the tears in her eyes. "I'm so sorry. I…"

"Don't even start with me Chuck. Do you have any idea what you've put me through?"

"I'm sorry; I'm just trying to…"

"Stop talking," she yelled. "I don't want to hear your excuses. I know how much pain you're in, and I know what your dad put you through. I'm willing to, uh, forgive you this time, but only because your dad's funeral is tomorrow. If you even _breathe_ when I tell you not to, we're done. Do you understand me?"

"Yes," he gasped. He rushed towards her and pulled her into his arms.

xxxx

Funerals on the Upper East Side were always a bit of a zoo. When a wealthy, well-known billionaire died, they were complete and utter chaos. As Chuck, Blair, and the van Der Woodsen's stepped out of their limo, they were bombarded by the media. Chuck rushed past them, pushing their microphones and their _how are you coping_'s out of his space.

He took his seat on the first pew of the church, pulling Blair in next to him. He smiled at Nate and grasped Lily's hand as she sat on his other side.

The minister began his speech about life and death, heaven and hell. "It's no doubt Bart is looking down on us from Heaven." Chuck couldn't help but snicker.

"Bart took immense pride in his successful business ventures, but took even more pride in his only son, Charles. I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Bass on several occasions, and each time he gushed about what a mini-mogul Charles was turning into. He couldn't wait for the day he could hand over the company to his beloved son."

Blair squeezed Chuck's hand and glanced at him. She was shocked when she saw he was tearing up.

* * *

**Author's Note Part Deux: If anyone's interested, I had a song in mind for the funeral scene: Details in the Fabric by Jason Mraz. Check it out; it's fantastic. **


End file.
